One of the best ways to improve your system performance is to remove any unnecessary startup applications. In Windows Vista, I suggested changing startup programs using Windows Defender. Unfortunately, Microsoft removed that capability in Windows 7.

In Windows 7, follow these steps to remove startup applications with the System Configuration tool:

1. Check the programs settings. Typically, programs (such as instant messaging applications) configure themselves to start automatically. The best way to turn this off is to find the application-specific option and disable it.

If you can’t find that, you’ll have to manually remove it:

2. Click Start, type msconfig, and then press Enter.

3. In the System Configuration tool, click the Startup tab (as shown above).

4. Clear the checkboxes for any applications you don’t want to run automatically. There will probably be some apps you don’t recognize–Google the name of the app before you remove it. For example, I almost removed the SMax4PNP application. After Googling it, I discovered that my sound card used it, and decided to keep it around.

5. Click OK.

6. When prompted, click Exit without restart. Or, restart your computer. Whatever.

The next time you restart your computer, the programs you deselected won’t start.